Room cooling system

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure relates to a user-installable room cooling system. This system is both energy and cost efficient and utilizes distributed heat exchangers to a liquid loop. An exemplary embodiment may be comprised of a heat to air transfer plate, a heat pump, a block of heat conductive material, a pump, a pipe interface, a temperature control system, an outside radiator or evaporation cooler, and will be filled at the highest point.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationSer. No. 61/546,271, filed Oct. 12, 2011, which is hereby incorporatedby reference for all purposes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Conventional room air conditioning units use state change technology anddehumidify the air. This dehumidification can be problematic on veryhumid days as the units will overflow from water extracted from the air.This overflow can be as much as a liter, depending on the conditions ofthe day.

There is currently a need for more efficient and environmentallyfriendly air conditioning systems. These improved systems may be basedon water or emulsion loops for the transport of exhaust heat to theoutside of a building.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The embodiments described herein provide for a user-installable roomcooling system. This system will be cost efficient to produce, on alarge or small scale, and will utilize little electricity compared to aconventional compression cycle air conditioning system currentlyavailable.

The disclosed invention may be run from line or low voltage DC, such as48 volts. This system does not require a drain for condensation water,but may be utilized as a dehumidifier when a drain pipe is connected.Alternatively, the system can be adjusted to have a net zero effect onhumidity.

These and other aspects of the disclosed subject matter, as well asadditional novel features, will be apparent from the descriptionprovided herein. The intent of this summary is not to be a comprehensivedescription of the claimed subject matter, but rather to provide a shortoverview of some of the subject matter's functionality. Other systems,methods, features and advantages here provided will become apparent toone with skill in the art upon examination of the following FIGURES anddetailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention itself, as well as a preferred mode of use, furtherobjectives, and advantages thereof, will best be understood by referenceto the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment whenread in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 A system diagram of an embodiment of the current invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The disclosed embodiments describe a cost and energy efficient roomsystem. This system may utilize a flexible distributed air handler thatcan employ distributed heat exchangers to a liquid loop. The liquid loopmay only require a singular loop, maintain low pressure in the loop, andachieve a higher efficiency when evaporation cooling tower technology isemployed.

This disclosed system will work in efficiently insulated rooms withlittle heat loss. An exemplary embodiment may be comprised of a heat toair transfer plate 1, a heat pump 2, a block of heat conductive material3, a pump 5, a pipe interface 6, a temperature control system 8, anoutside radiator or evaporation cooler 7, and will be filled at thehighest point.

The heat to air transfer plate 1 may have an attractive shape and havesufficient surface area to heat or cool the amount of air in the space.The heat pump 2 may be a Peltier or Magneto Caloric Element, and willact to transport the heat to or from the heat to air transfer plate 1.

The block of heat conductive material 3 may be any suitable materialable to transfer heat surface to surface from the heat pump 2 to aliquid medium. This material may be composed of copper or aluminum, forexample.

The pump 5 may be utilized to circulate a liquid, such as water, throughthe heat transfer block 3 and the external radiator 7. The pipeinterface 6 may run from the heat transfer block 3 to an externalradiator 7.

A temperature control system 8 may be used to protect the Peltierelement and to manage optimal performance based on inside and outsidetemperatures. The temperature control system 8 may also handle freezingcontrol.

When the disclosed system is cooling, condensation may form on the heatto air transfer plate 1. By the force of gravity, the condensation willrun down the plate 1 into a collection area and drip into saidcollection area onto the block of heat conductive material 3 thattransfers the heat from the heat pump 2 element to the liquid media. Thesystem will deliberately, by its controls, run at an exhaust temperatureof at least 100 degrees Celsius so that any water dripping onto theblock of heat conductive material 3 will evaporate rather quickly. Theevaporation of condensate provides a net zero result to the room'shumidity.

The humidity can be controlled by lowering the exhaust temperature byway of the system control 8 electronics. This control may slow theevaporation process and increase the amount of condensation water in thecollection area. A pump, which could in one embodiment be the same pump5 used to circulate water or other liquid, will sense this increase incondensation and pump the excess water outside a building or into aspecific condense water exhaust pipe, which can transport this water toa water evaporation cooling tower or other disposal.

The control unit 8 and power source may provide the 48 volt bus powerfor the heat pumps 2. The heat pumps 2 may be 300, 400, or 1000 wattsfor a single unit; however, different wattages could be employed andremain within the scope of this disclosure. The controller 8 managespump, return, and forward water temperature as well as plate temperaturedew point.

The present invention is well adapted to attain the ends and advantagesmentioned as well as those that are inherent therein. The particularembodiments disclosed above are illustrative only, as the presentinvention may be modified and practiced in different but equivalentmanners apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of theteaching herein. Furthermore, no limitations are intended to the detailsof construction or design herein shown, other than as described in theclaims below. It is therefore evident that the particular illustrativeembodiments disclosed above may be altered or modified and all suchvariations are considered within the scope and spirit of the presentinvention. Also, the terms in the claims have their plain, ordinarymeaning unless otherwise explicitly and clearly defined by the patentee.

What is claimed is:
 1. A distributed air handler system comprising: aheat to air transfer plate, said heat to air transfer plate acting toheat or cool surrounding air in a room; a heat pump, said heat pumpthermally coupled to said heat to air transfer plate; a block of heatconductive material having at least a first surface and a secondsurface, wherein at least said first surface is thermally coupled tosaid heat pump and said at least said second surface is thermallycoupled to a liquid medium, said block of heat conductive materialtransferring heat from said heat pump to said liquid medium; a pump,said pump circulating at least a portion of said liquid medium from acooling device to said second surface such that said portion of saidliquid medium contacts at least said second surface and wherein saidpump returns said portion of said liquid medium back to said coolingdevice; a control system, said control system: managing an insidetemperature said inside temperature the temperature inside said room;and managing said pump, said liquid medium temperature, and said heat toair transfer plate temperature.
 2. The distributed air handler system ofclaim 1, wherein said heat to air transfer plate is of a sufficient areato heat or cool said room.
 3. The distributed air handler system ofclaim 1, wherein said heat pump is selected from the group consisting ofa Peltier and a Magneto Caloric Element.
 4. The distributed air handlersystem of claim 1, wherein said block of heat conductive material isselected from the group consisting of copper and aluminum
 5. Thedistributed air handler system of claim 1, wherein the distributed airhandler system has only one said liquid loop.
 6. The distributed airhandler system of claim 5, wherein said liquid loop is low in pressure.7. The distributed air handler system of claim 1, wherein the airhandler system operates at a net zero result to said room's humidity. 8.The distributed air handler system of claim 7, wherein said block ofheat conductive material operates at least 100 degrees Celsius.
 9. Thedistributed air handler system of claim 1, additionally comprising acondensation collection area, said condensation collection areacollecting condensate from at least said heat to air transfer plateuntil said condensate may be removed.
 10. The distributed air handlersystem of claim 9, wherein said condensate removal is accomplished witha condensate removal pump.
 11. The distributed air handler system ofclaim 9, wherein said condensate removal is accomplished with said pump.12. The distributed air handler system of claim 1, wherein said liquidmedium is water.
 13. The distributed air handler system of claim 1,wherein said control system additional protects said heat pump andmanages optimal performance based on the difference between said insidetemperature and an outside temperature as well as freezing control,wherein said outside temperature is the temperature outside of saidroom.
 14. The distributed air handler system of claim 1, wherein saidcooling device is a radiator or an evaporation cooler